Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

A number of other issues were raised. Senator Boyle suggested that this issue could be dealt with in the forthcoming finance Bill. However, it could not be addressed in that Bill because it has the status of a money Bill. Other Senators argued that this measure should not be attached to this legislation at all. Given that some other issues are dealt with in the miscellaneous provisions section of the Bill, it is appropriate to resolve this anomaly in this legislation as well. It would hardly have been worthwhile to introduce a separate Bill to cover this issue on its own, when certain supplementary issues were being addressed as part of this legislation. The Minister for Finance has acted with absolute probity and transparency in everything he has done in this instance. Equity is being applied to a former Minister in line with the guidelines covering all other public and civil servants.